All-female punk rock band Shiragirl and Bodacious Thang premiere a brand new live cover of Rage Against The Machine’s “Killing in the Name.” Collaborating for a fierce and powerful performance, Shiragirl and Bodacious Thang have produced a female-driven rendition of this iconic song that is even more relevant today in our unsettling current political climate, a full three decades after the track’s initial release. The song recently made headlines after a post-election viral video of pro-Trump protesters dancing to it prompted RATM to respond via tweet, “They just don’t GET IT do they?”
Rage Against The Machine released “Killing in the Name” in 1992, following the L.A. Riots, triggered by the acquittal of the officers who brutally beat Rodney King. As the song just had its 28th anniversary, America is still facing these types of racial injustices, most notably the recent police killing of George Floyd, which sparked widespread protests and riots in 2020.
Shiragirl and Bodacious Thang have joined forces to show support of the movement against racist police brutality. Their hard-hitting cover of “Killing in the Name” shows the power that women can hold, when they use their voices to come together to fight racial, injustice. Cheyenne Joleene of Bodacious Thang comments, “Honored to work with these badass ladies, especially on a track like this. ‘Killing in the Name’ embodies so much strength and power. I feel this song is a part of my identity, and to duet with Shira only makes it ten times better.”
Shira Yevin of Shiragirl notes, “It’s crazy how almost thirty years to the date of the song’s release, the message is more relevant and poignant than ever. We would’ve hoped by now our country would have made more progress against systemic racism, but if the past year of current events and protests has taught us anything, it’s that things need to change. 2021 is our time to take back America!”
The release also follows the conclusion of Gritty in Pink’s historical launch year. Shira founded Gritty in Pink in 2020 as a platform to support and empower women in the male-dominated music industry; both Shiragirl and Bodacious Thang recently played the GRL Virtual Tour, which raised thousands of dollars for charities, including the ACLU. Tim Armstrong, front man of the iconic punk rock band Rancid and producer of Shiragirl’s last two EPs, said “Love the video, it is so powerful… Incredible!”
